"It ain't supposed to make sense; it's faith. Faith is something that you believe that nobody in his right mind would believe" - A. Bunker
Antediluvian rants on Archie Bunker's favourite baseball team combined with precognitive, precision surgeries on the underbelly of Mets faith.

12.8.07

On The Heels Of Another Series Lost To The Braves

Daniel Barone, starting his first game EVER, perhaps predictably, kept the Mets silent through four innings, coming off the hangover of the lost series to the Braves and considering the Mets' historic record against first-time starters.

But then in the 5th Jose Reyes reached first as a leadoff hitter via Marlin error and was followed by a perfect bunt by Luis Castillo to put two men on with none out and Carlos Beltran with a chance of redeeming all those lost games and all those poor performances whilst he probably should have been on the DL.

Kaaa-Ching. Beltran belts a three-run homer and the Mets took the lead.

In a way, you probably figured, game over, it's just a matter of time.

And in nearly every game this season, you'd have been correct.

But on the heels of that near-miss against the Braves, Billy Wagner entered the game in the top of the 9th with a one-run lead not having given up a run eight weeks. Eight weeks, boys and girls. That's either domination or an accident waiting to happen.

Kevin Gregg does what Billy Wagner couldn't last night...

Wednesday night redux - is Wagner just searching for some excitement when he puts two men on with one out and the top of the Marlins order coming to bat?

What do we say, Carlos Beltran, put your centerfielder glasses back on? Did he step in went he should have stepped back the minute the ball left Hanley Ramirez's bat? Or Billy, play with fire, play with fire, finally get burned?

Either way, Wagner's second blown save of the season and the Mets' third loss in four games.

Granted it was only the Marlins but Brian Lawrence should be golf-clapped, even in a loss that he didn't earn himself, for a six-inning performance he allowed only two runs in, a gutty, gobby performance consisting of 8 hits and 3 walks surrendered.

And golf clap for the Phillies who did what the Mets so rarily do, beat the Braves.

And for Mets hopefuls, let's have a look at that lineup, the regular lineup we've waited so long to see: